The Government's drive to bring long-term empty homes back into use, improve landlord management of their properties through licensing, and increasing the health and safety of dwellings, has entered the next phase with the laying of Statutory Instruments in Parliament.
These new measures, included in the Housing Act 2004, will come into force in April 2006. Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) will improve controls and set new minimum management standards in the private rented sector.
Mandatory licensing will apply to HMOs of 3 or more storeys, occupied by 5 or more people in 2 or more households. A group of friends sharing a house will not be a single household.
